For Sale: Italya Sports Richard Lloyd Racing 1988 Porsche 962C
Images via Maxted-page
This magnificent 1988 Porsche 962C ran as an Italya Sports-sponsored Richard Lloyd Racing team car during 1989 and 1990. It’s baby pink, magnificent, and up for sale at Maxted-Page.
The car, RLR-201, is the third of the Nigel Stroud Richard Loyd Racing chassis, following in the footsteps of the 1985 Richard Loyd Racing 956 and 1988 Richard Loyd Racing 962.
It debuted in June of 1989 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans wearing black Raika Group livery and driven by Damon Hill, David Hobbs and Steven Andskar. It would not find much success there, however, bowing out 228 laps in to be classified 26th.
The car went on to run the complete 1989 World Sportscar Championship season achieving a best finish of 11th in the ADAC Trophy at the Nürburgring driven by Steven Andskar and Bertrand Gachot and sponsored by Porsche Cars Great Britain.
In 1990 the car received its iconic pink and white Italya Sports livery and sponsorship. It opened its account for the year competing in the second round of the World Sportscar Championship – the 480 km of Monza – driven by Manuel Reuter and James Weaver.
RLR-201 returned to Le Mans in June with Manuel Reuter, JJ Lehto and James Weaver at the controls, but was not able to improve, picking up a DNF 181 laps in.
The car claimed a historic personal best in the penultimate round of the 1990 World Sportscar Championship season – the Players Ltée Mondial at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
The race was red flagged about half way through after Jésus Pareja was involved in a huge shunt when his 962C hit a chunk of manhole cover that had been ripped up by the ground effects of a car in front of him. The debris passed through his fuel tank, which promptly caught fire. Amazingly he was able to get out of the wreck and you can see him being very cross with some marshals in the footage below.
Team Sauber Mercedes won the race, as they did most of the races that season, and Manuel Reuter brought our car home in third. In a historic moment, this was the final World Sportscar Championship podium for a 962.
Today the car is an extremely competitive historic racer, winning the Group C championship in 2008 driven by Henry Pearman. With its history and performance it would make an exceptional historic race car, and gain you access into any historic racing event you’d like to run.
It’s up for sale at Porsche specialists Maxted-Page, and you can find more details on their official site here.
Images via Maxted-page
